


the usual reasons

by luckybarton



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Anxiety, Chocolate Box Exchange 2019, Crying, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Nightmares, Pre-Slash, Sharing a Bed, Spooning, Touch-Starved
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-27
Updated: 2019-01-27
Packaged: 2019-10-17 20:37:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17567564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luckybarton/pseuds/luckybarton
Summary: Tony and Stephen end up sharing a bed somehow.





	the usual reasons

**Author's Note:**

  * For [28ghosts](https://archiveofourown.org/users/28ghosts/gifts).



“You need to understand,” Tony started, “that this is not a usual situation that leads to me sharing a bed with...someone.”

“Do you want the floor?” Stephen replied. “Because you can have the floor if you want it.”

“A gentleman would have taken it himself,” Tony said, and sat down on the bed beside Stephen.

Stephen raised an eyebrow. “What, exactly, made you expect a gentleman?”

Tony paused, reformulating. “Big spoon or little spoon?”

“You’re short. Big spoon.”

“What did I tell you about being a gentleman?”

“What might have told you that I wasn't one?”

“I see how it is.” Tony flopped over and tugged the blanket over himself. Stephen followed, more cautiously than he'd expected. “Thought you were the one who wanted to... _sleep together.”_

Tony felt Stephen shift behind him. “Don’t say it like that.”

“Because you don't want to sleep with me? And here I thought you were leading me on.”

“Tony,” Stephen said, “I just want to sleep.”

“Alright,” Tony said, and fell quiet. He closed his eyes. Stephen's presence—his warmth, his steady breathing—was somehow calming, somehow comforting, though not quite enough to cut through his unease at the situation. He slowed his breathing, trying to match Stephen's.

“Tony,” Stephen mumbled, “you're leaning into me. Like, really.”

Tony blinked his eyes open. “Oh.” He shuffled away from Stephen, far enough to find himself at the edge of the mattress. He apologized quietly and lay there, trying to remain still.

“And now you have the whole blanket,” Stephen added.

“This is a single bed. I'm not sure what you expected,” Tony said. He threw the blanket back. “I'll take the floor.”

“There's no blanket,” Stephen pointed out.

“There's a carpet,” Tony muttered.

“Just stay here.”

“If you say so,” Tony replied, and moved away from the edge of the bed. He woke later to Stephen shaking him awake, tears streaming down his face that he immediately tried to hide by burying himself in the mattress. If he'd been at all successful, later sobs gave him away.

“Tony. Tony.” Stephen said. “Tony?”

“I don't know,” Tony said, his voice muffled. “I don't know why.” He laced his fingers over the back of his head. “I'm sorry. Sorry.”

“Nightmares.” Stephen stated.

“Not all the time. I didn't think—didn’t—I didn't mean to.”

“It's fine,” Stephen said. “Are you fine?”

“Yeah,” Tony said. “I'm fine.”

“You're fine,” Stephen repeated, and until morning came, it was true.


End file.
